


Poison Ivy

by armlessphelan



Series: Ruination [2]
Category: General Hospital
Genre: F/M, Gen, mafia wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-03-16 21:25:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3503264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/armlessphelan/pseuds/armlessphelan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Port Charles mafia is a delicately balanced house of cards. Ivy Forrester is making some renovations, and she's using a sledgehammer to do it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"This is Shawn Butler? This is Duke Lavery's right hand man? This is the big bad enforcer of the Lavery mob?" Ivy asked from her end of the dining room table. She scoffed and began cutting into her steak. Before she could eat anything, she addressed her men. "You have him secured to a chair and disarmed; you can remove the bag from his head. It's gonna be hard to have a conversation if he can't talk."

"But what if he sees your face?" One of her goons asked.

Ivy rolled her eyes and poured herself a glass of wine. "I don't care if he sees my face. Soon enough, everyone in this town will know and fear the name Ivy Forrester. Now hop to it. And as soon as you get the bag off, I need you two to skedaddle. Mr. Butler and I need are gonna need some privacy."

After the room was empty, barring Ivy and her guest, she smiled and raised her glass.

"Who are you?" Shawn grunted, straining against the ropes binding him to his chair.

After taking a drink of her wine, Ivy smiled at Shawn. "My name is Ivy Forrester. You probably don't know me. You don't seem like the type to wear women's jewelry. But if you do, then good for you! I’m not one to judge. "

"Forrester? Like the clothing company?" Ivy saw the man rifling through his memories to see if she was one of the more infamous members of her clan.

"So you do know my surname! That's a start, though I must offer a disclaimer: I'm something of the black sheep of my family. They don't always remember to claim me. They never really did. That's fine. It got me where I am."

"And where is that? Working for the Jeromes? Or are you Johnny's new girl?" Shawn asked. He really was quite a nosey little thing.

Ivy speared a piece of steak with her fork and began to chew. She watched with increasing amusement as Shawn’s impatience with her grew. She was starting to see why Julian had enjoyed the mind games so much. Of course, he played games when he should have acted: that was why he was dead. No, for Ivy, she would only toy with her enemies if she knew she was going to win. And the moment she allowed Shawn to see her face, Ivy already knew that she had won.

"Johnny Zacchara? You think I'm working for that family? It would be insulting if it weren't adorable. Unlike the people I'm sure you're used to working for, I do my research, Mr. Butler. You're a former soldier. You were also a chemistry teacher, and you came to town working for someone by the name of The Balkan, though you obviously betrayed him for the Corinthos organization. And you stayed with that organization after Sonny Corinthos handed it over to Duke Lavery.

"I had my men bring you here, Mr. Butler, so that I might make you an offer. Join me. Join the Crane organization. We could always use a man with your skillset."

"Crane? Like the blue blood family from Massachusetts? But I thought you were a Forrester."

"You really aren't up on current events, are you? I may not have taken my late husband's name for myself, but I figured I would honour him by putting it on this organization. Besides, Crane sounds much more threatening than Forrester. Or do you disagree?" Ivy picked her glass up and took another drink.

"Lady, nobody has heard of you. Nobody is scared of you. And I'm not going to betray Duke for you."

"I didn't think you would, Mr. Butler. And I was hoping you wouldn't make it awkward by actually accepting my proposal. See, I lied to you." Ivy picked up her spoon and dug it into the mashed potatoes on her plate. "I never wanted you to work for me, Mr. Butler. You are terrible at your job. You couldn't kill Robert Frank, though you might know him better as Franco. In fact, just about every target you've ever had is still alive. I don't have that problem."

"I don't have time for your games, Lady. What do you want with me?" Shawn was angry, but Ivy just held up a hand until she swallowed her mashed potatoes.

"Mr. Butler, I just wanted you here to deliver a message to your boss for me." Ivy picked up the gun that she had stowed in her lap, turned off the safety, and shot Shawn in the head. Then she turned the safety back on, set her gun on the table, and returned to her meal. After all, he didn't need to be alive to be a delivery boy.

Poison Ivy

When Duke Lavery opened his door to fetch his morning paper, the last thing he expected to find was Shawn's corpse. He quietly stepped back into his home and closed the door.

It hadn't been that long since Duke had bought his new house. Michael Corinthos... No, he went by Quartermaine now, but Michael had been fixing up the waterfront properties and Duke was one of the first to buy. Of course, he had used a dummy corporation to buy it since Michael and ELQ would never knowingly sell him anything, but at the end of the day it was still Duke's home and someone had dumped the body of his friend and enforcer on his doorstep.

"I never thought Julian would go this far," Duke hissed, pulling his phone from the pocket of his robe. Julian Jerome wanted to send a message? He wanted an open mob war? Then Duke was only happy to oblige. There was nothing Anna Devane, the PCPD, the WSB, or any other law enforcement agency could do to stop him.

Poison Ivy

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Ivy gushed after she bumped into the young man, his coffee spilling all over his shirt and jacket. She reached for a stack of napkins on a nearby table and began wiping his shirt off.

"It's okay, really. Accidents happen," the guy told her with a soft smile. He took the napkins from Ivy and began patting himself dry. It would still stain, but she was relieved that he wasn't burnt.

"At least let me pay for the dry cleaning. After all, I walked into you." Reaching her purse, Ivy pulled out a pen and grabbed a fresh napkin from another table. After scribbling on the napkin, she handed it to the man. "I am so, so sorry about this. When you get the bill, just call my mobile and I'll pay whatever the cost is."

"That's really not necessary, Miss..." He took the napkin and read the name just above the phone number. "Forrester? As in the fashion company out of Los Angeles?"

"Sorta," Ivy chuckled embarrassedly, tucking her hair behind her ear and giving the man a smile. "Eric Forrester? The guy who started the whole thing? He was my uncle. I tried working there for a while, I'm actually a jewelry designer, but if you aren't one of Uncle Eric's kids or a Logan, then you just don't fit in and never will. And oh my god, you must be so bored. I'm just prattling on about nothing. I'm so sorry."

He smiled and gently touched Ivy's forearm. "It's okay, Miss Forrester. I know a little something myself about not fitting in where family is concerned."

"You can call me Ivy. And thank you. If I had bumped into someone in LA and spilled coffee all over them, I'd already be in a courtroom facing a civil lawsuit."

"If there's one constant in this town, it's that everyone here wants to stay out of a courtroom. And it's really nice to meet you Ivy. My name is Michael Quartermaine. Obviously, you can call me Michael."

She batted her eyelashes at him and smiled. "Can I call you Mikey? It just sounds cuter. And can I ask you out to dinner sometime? I'm new to Port Charles and I don't have any friends."

"Yes to both," he smiled. "Why did you move to Port Charles, Ivy? I don't mean to be offensive, but if you were gonna leave Los Angeles, why come here? Why not go back to Australia? That is your accent, right? I've known a few Australians in my day."

"Better put another shrimp on the barbie!" Ivy laughed as she reached out and grabbed Michael's bicep. She wasn't impressed but kept it to herself. After all, he was nice enough, and cute enough, even without rippling muscles. "I'm not offended, Mikey. In truth, if I'm mad at anyone, it's myself.

"See, I'm in Port Charles to hide out from the tabloids. Usually, I'm the one Forrester they ignore, but my late husband was murdered recently. If I had stayed in LA, I would have been hounded, but a friend mentioned coming here a few years back and it was such a random place”

"I'm sorry for your loss," Michael interrupted. "Losing your husband must have been hard."

Ivy gave Michael a sad smile and ran her hand up and down his arm. "Thank you. But I... I don't know how things are in Port Charles, but Los Angeles is nothing like Sydney. That's where I grew up. Anyway, my marriage was a lot less about love and more of a business arrangement. Most of them are out there. He was looking for companionship and I was looking for something other than being a second string Forrester. I'm sad he's dead, I'm sad some crazy woman poisoned him, but I don't feel like a widow in mourning. And I'm rambling again. God I'm a terrible person, aren't I?"

"No you're not, Ivy. You would be surprised how many marriages I've seen happen just to solidify power bases. My own da- my stepdad had at least one of those himself. It ended poorly, to put it lightly."

"Thanks for making me feel better, Mikey. I'm a complete stranger and you're just letting me run off at the mouth after I spilled coffee on you and ruined your shirt."

"Really, it's okay. I don't mi- GET DOWN!" Michael grabbed Ivy and threw her to the ground, then fell on top of her, shielding her body with his own. A car drove by and bullets sang through the air, smashing through and shattering the windows to the restaurant behind them.

As soon as it had begun, it was over.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked as he looked down at Ivy. She bit her lip and nodded. "I think they're gone, but we need to get inside in case they come back."

"What's going on? Why did those people try to kill us?"

Sighing, Michael grabbed Ivy's hand and helped her to her feet, then he put his hand on the small of her back and helped her inside the restaurant. "I'm so sorry. You weren't the target. I was. I..."

Ivy just hugged Michael and began crying. He held her with one hand and used the other to call the police.

"Hello, 911? This is Michael Quartermaine. I'm at Kelly's and someone just tried to kill me in a drive by shooting."

Even though her face was buried in Michael's chest and it reeked of coffee, Ivy allowed herself a fraction of a second to smile between sobs. Her plan was working perfectly.

Poison Ivy

"Mr. Rivera. Welcome to my humble abode." Ivy swept her arms across the empty warehouse. "I wanted something on the waterfront. I grew up next to the water back in Australia. It's of comfort to me."

"What does that have to do with your boys grabbing me off the street and dragging me down here?" Carlos jerked free from one of Ivy's goons and ran a hand through his long, greasy hair.

"Because if you get an attitude with me, that water will be your resting place, Carlos. I'm not like Johnny Zacchara or Julian Jerome. And I am certainly not a Duke Lavery. When I declare war, I'm a General Sherman."

"They teach about the American Civil War in Aussieland?" Carlos asked with a laugh.

"My father is American, Mr. Rivera. I learned a few things in Aussieland, as you put it. The scorched earth approach appeals to me. So, I recommend you shut up and listen to me before you become just another piece of kindling."

Carlos straightened his jacket and smiled. "What is it you want, Miss?"

"Just Ivy will suffice, Mr. Rivera. I haven't been in town long, but I've already begun to make some moves. Still, I need someone in my corner who has been around for a while. And I want that someone to be you. I feel like you would be a more than sufficient second in command."

"And why would I leave the Jeromes for someone who won't even tell me her last name?"

"It's simple. I'm a clean slate, Mr. Rivera. You and I have no history, unlike the Jeromes. They forced you into a prison sentence for a crime you didn't commit. And I can assure you that money is not an issue. You'll be paid what you're worth. Maybe even more.”

"Okay, Ivy. I know why you want me, but why do you want to declare war on the families who own Port Charles? Do you have a death wish? These people, they don’t play around. They won’t easy on you because you’re a bonnie lass.”

“That’s the Scots, Mr. Rivera. I’m a shiela, not a lass. And to answer your question,” Ivy grinned and ran a finger along her collarbone, “I want to declare war on the Jeromes, Corinthoses, Laveries, and anyone else stupid enough to oppose me for the same reason I do anything: because I want to.”


	2. Chapter 2

Jordan moaned into Anna's mouth and clenched around her fingers. "That was... Wow. It always is, though, Agent Devane."

"Of course, Ms. Ashford." Anna grinned as she kissed the other woman's shoulder and settled her hand, sticky as it was, between Jordan's thighs. "Jordan, are you certain you're okay?"

"We're a little old for the whole self-loathing thing, Anna. If I wanna eat your pussy, I will. And I do." Jordan reached over and pulled Anna up to her so that she could kiss her.

After they broke apart, Anna propped herself up and looked down at Jordan. "I didn't mean about us. Shawn Butler is dead, and I know he meant a lot to you. He also meant a lot to TJ."

"It does hurt. A lot. But Shawn was always going to have a messy end. I'd long since given up on him leaving the business." Jordan rolled away from Anna and looked at the lamp on the nightstand. "Duke thinks the Jeromes did it, but this isn't Julian's style. The Jeromes make people disappear. This was a public declaration of war."

"Does the PCPD think it was Luke, maybe? Nobody has heard from him since he escaped Shadybrooke."

"We're not sure. It's also possible that a new family is moving in, but I still have contacts in the DEA and they've heard nothing. And we're too busy preparing for a war between the known parties to donate the needed resources for an investigation into a third that might not even exist."

Poison Ivy

"Thanks for everything, Mikey. Really. But I'm not mad at you. You didn't try to shoot me." Ivy held his hand and smiled. "And I'm from Australia. A little gunplay won't scare me away."

"It's not just a little gunplay, Ivy. It's Sonny trying to kill me because I took my sister from him. He's proving exactly why he's unfit to be a parent. And you shouldn't be anywhere near me while this is happening."

“That’s my call to make.” Ivy jiggled Michael's hand and looked around the lobby of the Metrocourt hotel. "You said your mom owns this place? I think it can safely be considered neutral ground. I mean, he wouldn't attack you here, not where she works. Right? And he doesn't know me. I'm nobody to him, Michael. I'm not a threat. How could I be? I design jewelry for a living."

"Sonny's logic isn't based in reality Ivy. But thanks for being my friend, I guess. After that introduction, I was surprised to hear from you at all. How did you even get the number to my office at ELQ?"

"I may not be one of THE Forresters, but I am still A Forrester. The name opens some doors. And you were really great after the shooting. You protected me. I really appreciated it."

"You wouldn't have been in danger if it wasn't for me."

"Mikey, please, it's fine. Really. I'm just glad the paparazzi hasn't found out about it. Could you imagine? A Forrester and a Quartermaine in a mob drive by? It would be nuts. How did it not get out?"

"The Quartermaine name opens a lot more doors than the Forrester name," he bragged with a smile. "What did you need to see me about?"

Ivy bit her lip and blushed. "It's kind of silly, but I want to thank you. Properly, with a dinner. Maybe some drinks. It's how everyone did everything in LA. In Australia, we would just go to the pub and throw back some beers, but you seem a bit too classy for that."

"I've been called a lot of things." Michael nervously tucked his shirt into his pants and gave Ivy a half smile. "Classy is not one of them."

"Well, it's true. What do you say, Michael Quartermaine? Would you humour me and be my date for the evening?"

"Not Mikey? How formal of you," he teased.

"Oh, come on. Just answer me!" Ivy giggled as she bounced on her heels.

"Sure, Ivy Forrester. I would love to be your date toni-"

Michael didn't get to finish accepting Ivy's invitation because the building shook as an explosion rocketed out from the dining room.

Poison Ivy

"It wasn't me, Carly! You know I wouldn't hurt Michael or blow up the Metrocourt. I may be mad at him, but he's still my son."

Carly looked at Sonny. "I know you would never intentionally hurt Michael, Sonny, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't try to scare him. He took Avery from you and you're mad and I get it. But I had to ask, and I believe you."

"Thank you." Sonny looked out his window at the night sky. "It was probably Julian, trying to send a message to me."

"That's not Julian's style, Sonny. It sounds more like something Luke would do."

"Luke?" Sonny took a drink of his bourbon and thought of his old friend. "Yes. I suppose you're right. It could be Luke, but why would he attack Shawn? Carly, it has to be that Jerome weasel. He knows I'm weak right now because I lost Avery and he's trying to come for me through my family. I won't let him."

Taking the drink from Sonny's hand, Carly threw it back and then shattered the glass against the wall. "No, Sonny. WE won't let him. Michael is my son, too. And my hotel was attacked. Whether it was Luke or Julian, I'm fully involved in this."

"You are so beautiful right now."

Before Sonny could kiss Carly, his doorbell rang. He yelled at Max to answer it.

"Boss, it's Michael. And his lady friend."

"Let them in, Max," Sonny yelled. He wanted to see with his own eyes that Michael was okay.

Despite himself, Sonny smiled when Michael entered the room. "Son! It's good to see you."

"Cut the crap, Sonny. I'm sick of your shit. You're mad about AJ that's fine. Be mad. But come at me like a man. Don't send killers after me. Don't set off bombs in public places. I could have died. Ivy could have died!"

"Who is Ivy?" Carly asked. She peered around Michael's shoulder. "I thought Max said there was a woman with you."

"She's in the restroom. Max is waiting on her, so she can't wander your precious house. Ivy is afraid of being alone, Sonny. She came with me because she didn't even feel safe at the PCPD. Everyone knows you have cops on your payroll."

"Michael, you can't seriously believe your father would try to kill you. This is clearly Julian Jerome trying to use you to get to Sonny."

"And that makes it better? You think being a target because of Sonny is somehow better than being a target of Sonny's? In what universe does that logic make any sense? And don't tell me this man would never hurt me. After all, he shot Dante."

"You know that was a..." Sonny started, but Michael cut him off.

"But you never would have shot him if you knew he was your son. Is that what you're saying? Of course it is. It's what you always say. As if it somehow makes it okay that you shot an unarmed cop."

"Michael, that's not fair!" Carly yelled. "Sonny did that to protect you."

"No, he did it to protect himself. If he wanted to keep me safe, he never would have reneged on his deal with Anthony Zacchara when I was in jail. Because of Franco, and because of Sonny, I was raped! And you spent months fucking the man who had me raped. So shut your damn mouth."

"Mikey? You were raped?" A woman with an Australian accent walked into the room, drawing the attention of everyone. "Oh my god, that's so horrible."

"It's why I took AJ from this bastard, Ivy. I need to keep her safe."

"That's very admirable, Mikey. I'm sure you'll do a great job." Ivy assured him. Then she reached into her purse and smacked him upside the head with the handle of her gun. He fell to the floor unconscious. "For that, and for being so kind to me, I'll let you live."

"Who are you?" Carly screamed at the woman.

"How did you get a gun into my house?" Sonny yelled. Then he called for Max, but the woman shot him in the chest. He fell out of his seat and to the floor.

"I got it from the fat man. I knew I couldn't get a gun in here, but a syringe was no problem," the woman answered before firing again, blowing off half of Sonny's face. Then she turned to Carly, who had pressed herself against the wall. "You wanted to know who I am?"

Carly couldn't speak: she couldn't even nod. It didn't matter.

"I'm Ivy Forrester. And I would say you were an innocent bystander, but after hearing what Michael said? That you had a relationship with a man who had your son raped? Innocent is the last word I'd use for you. You earned this."

Three times Ivy fired the gun, Carly's body jerking a different way each time. But she was still alive. She was in agony, but living.

"Poor thing. You survived that?" Ivy crouched down next to Carly and pressed the gun to her skull. "Don't worry, I don't believe in loose ends."

The fourth shot was Carly's last. Then Ivy pulled out her phone and called Carlos.

"It's done. Michael got me into the house, just like I told you he would. But it's time for me to lay low. Two of our targets are down. The next one is on you."


	3. Chapter 3

"Spencer?" Elizabeth Webber ran up and down the pier, screaming at the top of her lungs and trying not to panic. "SPENCER!"

She had agreed to take the kids for a day out by the waterfront, just to celebrate the end of the quarter and all of them getting good grades. Jake had stayed home to watch Aiden, who had a cold, so Patrick had come with her. She had only turned her head for a second, just long enough to take the matchbook away from Cameron while Patrick tried to keep Joss from throwing rocks at homeless people, but when she turned around Spencer was gone.

"SPENCER CASSADINE! THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" Liz cried, leaning against a garbage can and hoping something hadn't happened to the boy. It wasn't the first time he had disappeared, so she prayed he was playing a joke like he had the last time he vanished.

He had five more minutes to turn up, and then she was calling Nikolas. They would probably have to call the cops to find him. It was just supposed to be a day out on the town.

Poison Ivy

"Carlos? What are you doing here?" Julian saw his henchman leaving his apartment just as he and Alexis were walking up to it.

"You're still involved with Carlos?" Alexis pulled her hands out of Julian's pants and crossed her arms over her ample, heaving bosom.

"I was waiting to talk to you," Carlos said as he raked a hand through his long hair. "With Sonny and Shawn dead, Duke is at a massive disadvantage. I was wondering if you wanted to put a team together with me. Take the old man out and finally claim Port Charles as our own."

Even as he shook his head and said "no", Julian winked at Carlos. He had heard about the attack on Sonny Corinthos and Carly Jacks. Everyone had. And Julian had laughed long and hard when he saw the article come across his desk.

"Well, I thought I would try." Carlos shrugged, laughed, and walked away.

As soon as Carlos was on the elevator and they were alone, Julian and Alexis resumed groping each other. She pushed him into his partially open door, forcing it open the rest of the way with a loud bang. He reached out, grabbed her arm, and threw Alexis onto the sofa.

“I need this,” Julian moaned against Alexis’ lips.

He kissed her and started taking off his shirt. She ripped it the rest of the way open with a laugh, buttons flying in every direction.

"Wait. Do you hear something buzzing?" Julian asked his lover.

Alexis laughed and reached into her purse, producing her vibrator, which had somehow turned itself on. "You know, it's my turn to use it on you."

“Oh, hot mama!” Julian's eyes lit up in excitement and he kissed Alexis again. "I can't wait."

Then the bomb went off.

Poison Ivy

"It's done, Boss Lady!" Carlos yelled after walking into the warehouse. Ivy was sitting on what looked like a throne, body adorned by a tight, black pantsuit and expensive but tacky jewelry dripping from her neck, ears, and fingers.

"You have confirmation? I've done enough research to know that the people in this town aren't dead if there isn't a body. Sometimes, even when there is one."

"You talking about Lavery?"

"Ah, yes. Duke." Ivy smirked, then looked off to the side. Carlos followed her line of sight and saw a child in a cage. He didn't look any older than 10 years of age. He was also brushing the hair of a porcelain doll.

"Who's the kid?"

"He says his name is Spencer. I caught him snooping around the warehouse. I'm not squeamish about killing interlopers, but I can't seem to bring myself to off a child. Especially not one that reminds me so much of my cousin. Are you familiar with RJ Logan, the fashion designer?"

"Do I look like I would have any idea who that is?" Carlos asked, pointing to his black leather jacket and stained t-shirt.

Ivy laughed. "No, I suppose not."

"Can I brush your hair, Mister?" Spencer called from his cage, setting the doll down. "The lady won't let me do hers. And yours is WAY prettier."

Ignoring the kid's request, Carlos looked back to Ivy. "You're sure it's okay to talk like this?"

"He isn't going anywhere any time soon. It's fine," Ivy insisted. "So, the incendiary device worked?"

"I didn't even know that voice activated detonators were a thing. But yeah. I had just gotten off the elevator when it went boom! Everyone ran out of the building at once. I slipped out with the crowd."

Ivy nodded. "Good. Good. So that just leaves Duke Lavery."

"Which we already established," Carlos reminded her.

"Do not interrupt me," Ivy warned. Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "With Jerome and Corinthos both dead, Lavery is going to be on high alert. Paranoid. We won't be able to get to him."

Carlos waited a few seconds before replying, just to be sure Ivy was done speaking. "Then what do we do?"

"We bring him to us. We find something that Lavery treasures: something or someone that will draw him here. And then we destroy him."

Carlos had a brilliant idea. "There is someone: a little girl. Lavery was very close with her. He lived with her grandmother until a few months ago."

"Emma?" Spencer gasped, drawing the attention of the two criminals.

"You know this girl, Little One?" Ivy leaned over the arm of her throne and smiled at Spencer. It was one of the most terrifying things Carlos had ever seen. "Tell me, Spencer. Tell me everything you know about Duke Lavery and this Emma. And if I like what I hear, I'll even let you put Carlos' hair into French braids."

Poison Ivy

"So Julian and Alexis are both dead?" Anna asked Jordan. She chewed on her thumbnail, but didn't bite it. "This is after the hits on Shawn, Sonny, and Carly."

"Yeah. It's happening fast, too. Michael doesn't remember much of what happened at Sonny's, but he remembers being there with his new friend Ivy Forrester. And she's disappeared. According to my contacts, he keeps calling the station to see if we've found her. He thinks whoever killed Sonny and Carly knocked him out and kidnapped her."

"And you don't think that's the case," Anna mused, sitting on Jordan's bed while Jordan looked over the files on the desk. "You think Ivy Forrester is involved."

"Sonny and Michael were fighting over Avery. And Michael was given custody by the courts," Jordan stated as she read from the court documents. "A few days ago, there was a drive by shooting. Michael and Ivy were both there. He thought Sonny was retaliating. He gave the police the same line when there was the explosion at the Metrocourt."

"But what if Michael wasn't the target?" Anna asked, catching onto what Jordan was thinking. She pulled out her phone. "What if it was this Ivy?"

"More than that, what if Ivy set it all up to win Michael's favour? Shawn died shortly after she came into town. Sonny and Carly died while she was at their house, and she's just vanished from the grid."

"Oh my god." Anna stared at her phone. It couldn't be right, but it was. "Ivy wasn't just a Forrester. Jordan, she was married to Julian Crane just before he died."

"Crane? Like the crime family based out of Harmony, Massachusetts?" Jordan joined Anna on the bed and looked at the phone.

"You're familiar with them?"

Jordan nodded. "Vaguely. The DEA has been watching them for years, but that family was never one of my cases. I know the name and that’s about it. How does a jewelry designer from Australia get involved with a millionaire crime boss?"

"How did we not notice this? You were right. Julian wasn't stepping up his war against Sonny and Duke. There was a third party the whole time. Ivy Forrester has been making big moves, and not even trying to hide it."

"It's a message. A challenge," Jordan concurred. "Ivy Forrester is killing off the established crime families. She's taken out Sonny and Julian and their immediate guard."

"Duke is the only one left," Anna noted, her heart aching for a brief moment. She didn't dwell on it for long because her phone rang. She answered it and listened to Patrick, the pain in her heart over Duke being overtaken by fear.

Obviously noting the change in Anna's demeanour, Jordan rubbed her back. She didn’t speak until after Anna had hung up. "What is it?"

"That was Patrick. Spencer Cassadine went missing. Patrick and Liz had all the kids out, but then Spencer disappeared so he took the kids back to Liz's house while she and Nikolas Cassadine searched the waterfront. Jake, Liz's boarder, he was home so Patrick left the other kids with him to rejoin the search.

"They haven't found Spencer. But Patrick stopped back by the house. Jake is dead. Joss and Cameron were knocked out: gassed. Patrick is with them at the hospital. Bobbie Spencer was taking care of Joss after Carly died. She’s there, too."

"Anna, what is... Oh no."

"Whoever killed Jake Doe has Emma," Anna said, confirming Jordan's fear. "My granddaughter is at the mercy of a monster."


	4. Chapter 4

"Carlos Rivera was seen leaving Julian Jerome's apartment building shortly after the explosion," Anna summarized as she read the report Jordan had brought her. "The cameras in the building itself were all out of service during the attack?"

Jordan nodded from her corner. They couldn't meet in her place anymore, not with Duke growing increasingly paranoid, so they were using a rundown shack. It used to be a place where small time drug deals went down, but the cops caught onto it so it was ultimately abandoned.

"We caught him on the security camera of the building across the street. The PCPD almost missed him."

"Doesn't Carlos work with Julian? Why would he kill him?" Anna asked, looking to Jordan for suggestions.

"Carlos and Julian didn't exactly get along the last few months. Ava dying was a big part of that. Not to mention Carlos' stint in prison for killing AJ Quartermaine, when he was innocent." Jordan looked out the lone window of the building just to make sure nobody was around. "Lots of bad blood."

"And Carlos isn't working for Duke. You would have known that. Which means he's probably linked to Ivy Forrester," Anna surmised, reiterating what they both already suspected.

"Any luck on finding Emma or Spencer?" Jordan's question was quiet and measured.

Anna shook her head and sighed. She was keeping it together, but just barely. There were no leads on the missing children. Two days had passed. Even though she knew the statistics, Anna tried her best to avoid thinking the worst.

"I want nothing more than to find my granddaughter, Jordan, but we know nothing about what happened to her or Spencer. We thought maybe Britt Westbourne was back in town, but neither her brother nor that beast that birthed her knew anything. Or so they claimed."

The buzzing of a phone on vibrate interrupted the conversation and Jordan quickly answered.

"Jordan Ashford." She looked into Anna's eyes and nodded along with the conversation. After hanging up, she took a deep breath. "Anna, that was Duke. With Shawn dead, I'm his top lieutenant. He's mobilizing the troops for war."

"Right this second? Did he say why?"

Clearly uncomfortable, Jordan nodded. "He received a package this morning. Nobody knows how he got it, he hasn't been accepting mail, but it was a picture of your granddaughter Emma. It also... One of her fingers was in the box. Anna, it looks like Ivy Forrester has Emma. She's using her to draw Duke out into the open and it's working."

Screaming, Anna kicked the wall of the shack. Her breathing was laboured. Anger coursed through her veins. That little Australian bitch was gonna pay. "Where, Jordan? Where is Duke meeting Ivy? Where the hell is my granddaughter?"

Poison Ivy

"Rivera? It was you all this time?" Duke barked when he saw his opposition. "I'm here. Where is little Emma? Where is the child?"

Carlos laughed and pointed up to the ceiling, where Emma hung, suspended from a rafter. She was unconscious, and it had been a pain in the ass to get her up there, but the look on Duke's face was worth it.

"I'm shocked you came alone, Lavery. I figured you to be the type to keep backup nearby."

"He is." Jordan Ashford emerged from the shadows, her gun trained on Carlos. He j raised his hands into the air and laughed. Another five men followed her out of the shadows of the warehouse. It was okay. He had been expecting it. In fact, Carlos and Ivy had planned on it.

Just before the crack of a gunshot rang through the air, Carlos saw Jordan look up into the rafters. He cursed as the woman tackled Duke to the ground and the bullet instead struck one of Lavery's soldiers in the leg. They had lost the element of surprise.

"Get 'em, boys!" Carlos shouted as his own men emerged and started firing. He jumped behind a nearby crate and pulled out his own gun, peering around the corner and firing.

As the song of gunfire played, Carlos looked up to Ivy. She was aiming her rifle, but not at the crowd. Then he saw her pull the trigger.

The limp body of Emma Scorpio-Drake tumbled through the air and hit the ground with a sickening crack. It was at that moment that Carlos knew, even if he was on the winning side, he was on the wrong side.

"NO!" Carlos heard a woman scream over the discharging of guns, but it wasn't Jordan. The gunfire was quickly drowned out by police sirens and SWAT personnel stormed in from all possible exits. All but one.

"She ran for the roof!" Jordan screamed, and it was then that Carlos saw Anna Devane was at the head of the SWAT officers. He laid his gun on the ground and allowed himself to be handcuffed. So did everyone else. Everyone except Jordan, who met Anna by the body of the little girl. "You go after her. I'll take care of everything down here. I'll take care of her."

Carlos watched as Jordan hugged Anna, and it finally clicked. The woman had been undercover the entire time. It explained so many of the lingering questions she had never quite answered.

Anna Devane pulled away from Jordan, looked down to her dead granddaughter, and nodded with tears in her eyes. She pulled her gun from its holster and ran after Ivy. For perhaps the first time in decades, Carlos was rooting for the hero to take down the bad guy.

Poison Ivy

"Ivy Forrester! There's nowhere for you to go! We have the building surrounded. All your men have been taken into custody. Just surrender yourself!"

Ivy would have laughed, but she didn't want to give away her position. She hadn't planned on using more than three bullets. She was going to take out Duke Lavery with the first, the brat with the second, and Carlos with the third. With Duke gone, she would've had no use for Rivera. She couldn't trust someone who would so readily sell his loyalty to the highest bidder. Indeed, after she had taken control of Port Charles, Ivy would have made sure she kept it.

But that woman had seen her. She had saved Duke and Ivy saw it fit to get her Pyrrhic victory. Even if Duke had survived the gunfight, he still would have lost. The girl would still have been dead.

Clutching the rifle like it was a lover, Ivy watched the agent. After they had taken the child, Ivy had researched Anna Devane. She knew the woman was the closest thing to competent law enforcement that Port Charles could muster. She was the only thing that could have been a threat, but Ivy didn't expect her to find them. Ivy didn't plan on Lavery going to the cops. After all, while he and Devane had once been lovers, by all reports they were now enemies.

Something or someone had spoiled Ivy's plans.

"Where are you, Ivy?" Anna shouted as the former jewelry designer raised her rifle. She had one bullet, one shot: she was going to make it count.

Anna Devane was in Ivy's sights when she felt the gun being pressed to her forehead.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A second woman warned loudly, drawing Anna's attention. "Put the gun down."

Ivy put the rifle on the ground as Anna began walking over to them. Her mind raced through possible scenarios; she wouldn't let this be the end of her. She refused!

"I thought you were handling everything down in the warehouse, Jordan," Anna said, holstering her firearm and pulling out her handcuffs.

"I saw that nobody followed you up here. Thought you could use backup," Jordan told Anna. "This one has been fairly dangerous."

They had no idea how dangerous Ivy really was. Jordan used her free hand to pull Ivy to her feet and shoved her to Anna. While Jordan kept her gun trained on Ivy, Anna started to read Ivy her rights. The first cuff clicked shut and Ivy played her final card.

Lashing out, Ivy kicked the gun free from Jordan's hand and slammed the back of her head into Anna's face. Shocked and in pain, Anna released her and Ivy scissor kicked Jordan in the face.

Diving, Ivy snagged Jordan's gun, tearing up her left side on the gravel, but Anna had already pulled her weapon out. "This won't go how you think it will, Ivy. We all know who you are. We know what you've done. There are dozens of officers below our feet and around the building. You can't fight them all."

Ivy looked out over the edge of warehouse. The bay was so close, and she was Australian. Diving off cliffs into the ocean was nothing for an Australian. She knew she would make it.

"Fight isn't the only option, Agent Devane. You forgot about flight," Ivy boasted before firing the gun. In the seconds between Jordan and Anna jumping away from the bullet and Anna returning fire, Ivy was already running.

She paid no attention to the bullet that passed by her head by mere inches. Ivy Forrester leapt onto the edge of the roof and pushed off of it with her feet, pulling her arms to her side and clasping her legs together to create as little wind resistance as possible.


	5. Epilogue

"She's not dead," Anna insisted, staring at the map again.

"Anna, the water was ice cold. It's been a week. If Ivy Forrester was going to show her hand, she would have done so by now. She didn't survive."

Shaking her head, Anna disagreed. "You haven't been in Port Charles that lomg, Jordan. Until a body is found, you never assume death. And even after it is, there's a good chance it's a double. No, Ivy is out there somewhere. She's plotting her next move."

They almost had her! She was physically in their custody. If only they had shot to kill. She should've given her men the order to take the bitch out.

"I can't imagine how much it must hurt, Anna. Emma is dead and you can't get your day in court to watch her killer be brought to justice, but we saved Spencer Cassadine. We broke the mob that had been infesting this city. The cost was high, but now nobody else has to die."

Jordan held her lover and pressed her forehead to Anna's. While everything she said was true, it wasn't enough for Anna. Duke had made bail. Innocents had died. Emma had already been buried and Robin hadn't bothered to come to the funeral.

So she swore that she wouldn't rest until she had found Ivy and brought her to justice.

Poison Ivy

Duke Lavery stood on the roof on General Hospital and stared down at his city. Diane would get him off. He would reclaim his territory and that of the Jeromes as well. There was nobody around who could stop him.

He regretted what had happened to Emma. That was a mark that Duke would always bear on his soul. Anna was no longer able to look at him after what happened to her granddaughter. That dear, sweet Emma had been one of the few bright spots in Duke's life. Anna had been another one. Now, he had neither.

All he had was the city. His city. Holding his hands out to his side, he shouted a challenge to any and all who could hear him. "Show me what you have! Bring your best to me so that I may watch them fall!"

Then Duke felt the hands on his back and the roof disappeared from under his feet. He twisted as he fell, looking up to see she who had killed him. Josslyn Jacks covered her mouth and giggled, then vanished into the night.

Poison Ivy

"Liesl, love, it's simply marvelous to see you!" The man held his arms open, but she kept her distance.

"Why have you summoned me, Jerry? I have a hospital to run and no time for your nonsense."

Jerry grinned by Liesl didn't return the gesture. "My friend Ivy, she thought it wise to jump into freezing cold water from the roof of a warehouse by the docks. You may have seen the news reports."

"Ivy Forrester?" Liesl Obrecht was not amused. "Why do you need me, Jerry? Do you not have that beast Robin Scorpio-Drake?"

"Alas, Liesl, I do not. Helena has the voluptuous doctor Scorpio-Drake and isn't returning my calls. My darling Ivy is not well and I need your help. You just need to stabilize her for me until I can get her longterm care."

"And why would I do this, Jerry? I do not know nor care about this Ivy. This is a waste of my time!"

"Because Ivy will be going to see Dr. Fascinella when she's ready. And last I knew, the good doctor was not aware he has a son. Or have you told Nathan that he isn't a Cassadine?"

"You wouldn't."

"My dear Liesl, we both know I would. The choice is yours."


End file.
